Pittsgrove teen faces several charges after allegedly trying to sexually assault an 8-year-old girl at New Hampshire Christian camp

SPOFFORD, New Hampshire — A Pittsgrove teenager has been indicted on four charges related to the alleged attempted sexual assault of an 8-year-old girl at Camp Spofford here, authorities said.

Stephen M. Tecce, 19, was arrested on July 13 at 9:59 a.m. at the Christian camp where he worked. He was charged with kidnapping, criminal threatening, attempted aggravated felonious sexual assault, and endangering the welfare of a child, according to court documents.

According to the Assistant County Attorney for Cheshire County Keith Clouatre, the aggravated felonious sexual assault charge can carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years.

Tecce graduated from Arthur P. Schalick High School this year.

Chesterfield Police Detective David Eldridge investigated the case and his affidavit filed in Keene District Court detailed the alleged specifics of the case.

Eldridge wrote, on July 12, Chesterfield Police Officer Noah Sanctuary responded to the camp at roughly 8:40 p.m. for a reported sexual assault.

The officer met with camp manager Fred Rowley and the girl’s father, who told Sanctuary his daughter ran up to him and his wife in tears while they were playing softball at the camp.

The girl told her parents she was playing with friends in the camp gym when she went to the bathroom and encountered a young man. The two began to talk.

“The man told her he knew of a nice place for them to go talk,” Eldridge wrote.

The girl followed the man to the camp nursery, where he allegedly told her he wanted to have sex with her, according to the affidavit.

The girl told the man “no” two times during the encounter, but he allegedly persisted, saying they would play a game called “tie-up,” according to the detective’s affidavit.

The man then allegedly tried to put tape over the girl’s mouth, but she resisted. He then told her he would kill her if she told her parents, according to the affidavit.

The girl’s parents provided a description of the attacker — a younger white male with longer curly blond hair, wearing a black T-shirt and jeans — and staff members identified Tecce as matching the description.

“... When Officer Sanctuary approached Tecce and asked him what happened, he became very defensive and said he was not going to talk to the cops because nothing happened,” Eldridge wrote.

After Tecce’s father calmed him down, Tecce told Sanctuary he had only talked to the girl near the softball field, reports state.

Sanctuary then went with Rowley, the camp manager, to the nursery, where he allegedly found a roll of blue tape. There were also pieces of tape and tissues found in the trash can.

The next morning, Rowley called Eldridge to say the girl had identified Tecce as her alleged attacker, Eldridge wrote. The girl’s father was walking at the camp with the girl when they saw Tecce and the girl “immediately told her father ‘that’s the man,’” Eldridge wrote.

Tecce was then brought into custody by Chesterfield Police.

Speaking with Rowley by phone Thursday, he was ready to move past the incident.

“We feel we handled it in the right way. Thank the Lord it didn’t go any farther than it did,” said Rowley. “The girl was not really traumatized that badly.”

The family was back at camp the next day.

“The young girl was back in the program the next day,” said Rowley. “She never left and the family has already signed up for camp next year.”

Rowley said the integrity of the camp was not broken.

“This camp has been here for 48 years and this is the first incident we have ever had,” said Rowley. “We had the police here 10 minutes after it happened.”

Rowley showed his support for the Tecce family and wished them all the best while they work through the charges.

“We love the Tecce family. They have been coming here for 14 years,” said Rowley. “I’m sorry that this had to happen, but we will support them as much as we can.”

Tecce, who was originally released on his own recognizance, posted $10,000 cash bail after a court appearance on Wednesday, reports indicate.

“He is back in New Jersey with the condition that he has no contact with the alleged victim,” said Clouatre.

He is not to drink alcohol, take drugs, or be in possession of a weapon. Clouatre also said Tecce signed a waiver stating if he does not show up for court, the State of New Hampshire will bring him into custody.

Clouatre said the preliminary trial hearing will take place on Oct. 26. The final pre-trial hearing, where Tecce will decide to take a plea or go to trial, is scheduled for Nov. 23.

Calls made to the Tecce family and their attorney Paul Schweizer were not returned.